A four-year deal for Michael King could be the Blue Jays' smartest move this winter

Starting pitcher Michael King officially became a free agent on Oct. 29th when he opted out of the remaining two years on his contract with the San Diego Padres. 

His decision to decline his player option ahead of his age-32 season wasn’t a surprise, given his performance in 2026. He stayed healthy and reaffirmed his status as a frontline starter atop the Padres’ rotation. 

While the Toronto Blue Jays unquestionably need to add offence this winter, they are also likely to be shopping for starting pitching. Here’s why King would be a fantastic fit. 

Why should the Blue Jays sign Michael King? 

King pitched to a 3.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across a career-high 185 innings in 2026. It was the second time in the last three seasons that he has made at least 30 starts, rebounding nicely on the health front from an injury-riddled campaign in 2025. 

While the right-hander’s strikeout numbers were down this past season, he did an excellent job of limiting hard contact. That, coupled with a league-average walk rate, allowed him to be successful without possessing the kind of electric stuff most aces have. He doesn’t need to overpower hitters to keep runs off the board. 

Also noteworthy is King’s postseason resume. He allowed just one earned run over 14 innings with the Padres this past October, including locking down a two-inning save against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the NLDS. 

With all that said, King shouldn’t be mistaken for an ace on the tier of someone like Dylan Cease. The good news for the Blue Jays is that they already have Cease, meaning King could slot in nicely behind him as one of the most reliable number two starters in the game. 

The Blue Jays have frequently and effectively signed veteran starting pitchers in free agency over the past half-decade. They normally prioritize durability, which is not King’s strong suit. Working in his favour, however, is the overall lack of mileage on his arm, given he only became a full-time starting pitcher during the 2024 season. 

Toronto’s interest in King may ultimately depend on what kind of contract he is looking for in free agency. He turned down what amounted to roughly $53 million over the next two seasons by opting out of his deal with the Padres, presumably in search of more guarantees. 

Teams around the league probably won’t want to offer King five years. Four feels more reasonable, likely at a similar annual salary to what he was making previously. Could a deal in the $100 million over four years be enough to secure his services? 

While the Blue Jays may be tempted to insert themselves into the race for Tarik Skubal, signing King and someone like Seiya Suzuki for half the total money could be the wiser path as they navigate an extremely important offseason. The 2027 squad would be dramatically better with the addition of a proven arm to go along with a power bat. 

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